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Season Reviews
Season Reviews
  1. 2023
  2. 2022
  3. 2021
  4. 2020
  5. 2019
  6. 2018
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2023
Season Reviews 1 of 16

1. 2023

JANUARY
- Cricket returns for 2023, with our senior and junior sides taking part in indoor league action throughout the month, and winter training for our junior and senior sides taking place at the Club Cricket Academy;
- The 164th AGM of Upminster Cricket Club takes place at the pavilion;
- The Windmill Walk Ashes Edition begins, with teams of five aiming to walk a virtual version of the route taken around Australia by the England side for the 2021/2022 Ashes series;

FEBRUARY
- The senior indoor side seal promotion, and the Division One title with a win over Great Waltham in the Riverside Indoor League;
- Upminster’s U11s secure the Havering Indoor League title with victory over Orsett and Thurrock at Coopers School;
- Fixtures for the 2023 Hamro Foundation Essex League season are announced, with Upminster’s 1st and 2nd XIs facing Epping on the opening day of the season;
- In the Windmill Walk Ashes Edition, “The Better Halves” end the month in pole position in the race to Hobart;

MARCH
- The senior indoor side complete a league and cup double with a fine 44 run win over Willingale in the Senior Cup Final at the Riverside Leisure Centre;
- Callum Berry receives the Young Player of the Season award for the Riverside Indoor League, after scoring 249 runs and taking seven wickets during the winter;
- The U9s claimed the Havering Junior Indoor League title after a thrilling victory over Harold Wood;
- Not to be outdone, the U15s also picked up the Havering Junior League title, seeing off tough opposition from Gidea Park and Romford to claim the crown;
- Alan Ison’s departure from the club sees former Essex wicket keeper Adam Wheater take over as 1st XI captain for the 2023 season;
- The U12 Girls reach the final of the County indoor competition, and end up finishing in a brilliant third place;
- A number of the club’s young players represent Havering in the London Youth Games cricket events, with both the boys and girls sides once again qualifying for Finals Day at Lords;
- The Havering Junior Indoor League Finals Day saw Upminster sides contesting seven of the eight finals;
- In the U9s Cup, Upminster Storm took the trophy, while in the U9s Plate, Upminster Hurricanes just missed out. In the U11s Cup, Upminster Thunder overcame Upminster Heat, while in the U11s Plate, Upminster Tornado were beaten by Rainham;
- There was a defeat for Upminster Inferno against Harold Wood in the U13s Cup, but in the U15s Cup and Plate, Upminster Tsunami and Upminster Blaze picked up the silverware;
- There was also success in the Central Essex Junior Indoor Finals Day, with U11s and U12s both claiming excellent wins to take the honours, while the U10s narrowly lost out to Brentwood;
- In the Windmill Walk Ashes Edition, “The Better Halves” held on to their lead but several other teams were closing the gap on the frontrunners;

APRIL
- Terrible weather throughout the month means the start of the season is delayed for almost all sides;
- The 1st XI’s League Cup tie with South Woodford is one of the games washed out;
- The Sunday Friendly XI do take to the field, and they pick up a win against Sawbridgeworth on a cold and damp afternoon;
- And the Girls U15s produce a stunning performance to overcome Wanstead & Snaresbrook by 11 runs in the National Cup;
- Meanwhile, “The Better Halves” hold off stiff opposition to become the first team to reach Hobart in the Windmill Walk Ashes Edition;

MAY
- The weather improves, slightly, meaning outdoor junior training for the club’s 320 young players is finally able to begin;
- All of our junior squads also start their programme of matches for the summer, with a number of good performances;
- The first week of the Hamro Foundation League season is a near complete washout for UCC and for all other clubs;
- Only the 1st and 4th XI games were able to start as far as Upminster sides were concerned, and neither of those games went beyond 26 overs;
- The 1st XI do though finally manage to complete a full game as they see off South Woodford by nine wickets in the League Cup;
- The Women’s XI make their debut in Essex League Division Two and start well with an impressive 60 run win over Orsett & Thurrock;
- Some slightly better weather means most sides are able to play on the second weekend of the Hamro Foundation League season;
- The 1st XI game at Harold Wood was still not able to start, but all other UCC sides completed matches, although only the 5th XI picked up a victory;
- The club announces a new Platinum Sponsor, as local solicitors Mullis & Peake take over a Windmill Whack franchise (the Mullis & Peake Monarchs) and a Windmill Whack Women’s Edition franchise (the Mullis & Peake Magic);
- Draft Night for Windmill Whack VIII takes place, with new franchise the Mullis & Peake Monarchs looking like they have assembled a very strong squad for the season ahead;
- Australian all rounder Beau Webster jets in from Tasmania to sign for the club for the 2023 season. Webster goes straight into the 1st XI side to face Gidea Park and Romford;
- The last round of Hamro Foundation League matches in May sees five wins from six matches, with only the 2nd XI missing out. The 7th XI also record a friendly win over Ilford Catholics;
- Windmill Whack VIII begins with the Apple Finance Firebirds overcoming the Govani Maestros, before the Maestros cause a big upset by thrashing the Mullis & Peake Monarchs;
- Bank Holiday weekend sees eight colts games take place with six of the matches ending in Upminster victories;
- In the Dukes Essex T20, Upminster beat Harold Wood by 10 runs, but lose out to Brentwood in the group final by 48 runs;
- The U13 Girls win all of their games in the Essex Softball Smash at Billericay, and are crowned Essex champions for the first time in this event;

JUNE
- Overseas star Beau Webster makes 145 from 130 balls to help the 1st XI to victory over Shenfield, and push his side into promotion contention;
- There are also centuries for Josh Lamont and James Burchell as the 2nd, 3rd and 4th XIs start the month with wins, and the Women’s XI triumph again to move to the top of the table;
- An unbeaten 80 from Kiran Kullar helps the 1st XI to overcome Orsett & Thurrock in the League Cup and secure a trip to Wanstead & Snaresbrook in the next round;
- The Windmill Whack Women’s edition returns for its fourth season with opening day wins for the Mullis & Peake Magic and Apple Finance Phoenix;
- Super Sunday for our colts sides sees nine sides in action with five of them picking up victories;
- The 1st XI finish the month in a strong position after an eight wicket win over Ilford at Upminster Park. The 2nd XI’s good form continues to, as they win a thriller at Woodford Wells by one wicket;
- Despite an excellent performance, the 1st XI bow out of the League Cup, losing by three wickets to Wanstead and Snaresbrook;
- Our junior sides complete 100 games for the season before the month is out, with a number of teams still in contention for honours;

JULY
- A defeat to struggling Old Brentwoods means the 1st XI start the month with a huge blow being dealt to their promotion hopes;
- The 2nd XI continue their surge towards the top end of the table with a win over Ilford, while the 3rd XI begin the month with a victory over Woodford Wells to remain in title contention;
- Upminster Park hosts a unique game between the Club Cricket Conference and a World Sports XChange XI. Some top quality players are on show as the World Sports XChange side take the honours;
- A Judy Cruz XI and an Upminster Friendly XI play out a thrilling tie in a special game played to raise funds for the Judy D’Cruz fund. Most importantly a large crowd helps to raise a huge amount of money for the charity;
- The 16th July sees a remarkable 11 junior games take place on one day. This included a victory for the Matchplay side, but unfortunately results elsewhere meant they exited the competition;
- Bad weather returns once again and sees all seven men’s senior games washed out in Week 12 of the Hamro Foundation League season;
- A spectacular knock of 139 not out from Vicky Waters helps the Women’s XI to a win over Chelmsford, and keeps them on course for the title;
- Nehal Butt and Kiran Kullar are selected for an East London XI who take on Essex 2nd XI in a game played at Upminster Park. Unfortunately bad weather once again sees play limited to just a few overs;
- The Girls U11s win the Central District Softball competition, and go on to finish in fifth place at County Finals Day;
- A derby-day win for the 1st XI over Gidea Park and Romford sees the side finish the month on a high;
- The 3rd XI are left frustrated as they draw a thrilling game with Harold Wood, while there were month end wins for the 2nd, 4th and 6th XIs;
- The Women’s Softball side play at the Cloud County Ground in the Finals Day of the Essex Softball Series, having won their qualifying group. Upminster finish in third place with one win and two defeats;
- Overseas star Beau Webster is signed by Essex to play for the county side in their 2023 Royal London campaign. He goes on to be the county’s top run scorer and top wicket taker in the competition;

AUGUST
- The theme of the season, rain, continues as the first set of Hamro Foundation League matches in August are washed out. Only the 4th XI get underway but their game is abandoned after 27 overs;
- The Elite Eagles move a step closer to Finals Day in Windmill Whack VIII with a win over the Govani Maestros. Meanwhile, in the Women’s edition the Burley Bandits beat the Tolan T-Birds to move towards the Grand Final;
- The club’s Ryder Cup golf day takes place at Top Meadow Golf Club, with more than 30 members and guests taking part;
- A remarkable performance from the Women’s XI sees them bowled out for 49 by Woodford Wells, but still end up winning by 28 runs!! The result keeps them at the top of the table and maintains their 100% record;
- Pre-season favourites, the Mullis & Peake Monarchs lose to the Apple Finance Firebirds in the Windmill Whack, and end the competition with five defeats from five games;
- The club is honoured to host the County U13 contest between Essex and Northamptonshire at Upminster Park. The ground looks in fantastic condition, but rain (again) ruins what looked like being a fantastic finish to the game;
- The 3rd XI beat the rain, and Chelmsford, to take over at the top of the Premier Division table with just one game of the season to go. A win at Woodford Wells on the final Saturday of the season will give them their third title in six years;
- At Upminster Park, the 2nd XI lose an extraordinary game against Woodford Wells, with the visitors Harry Boparai making 190 from just 67 balls!!;
- The conclusion of the group stages of the Windmill Whack sees the Elite Eagles and Govani Maestros claim victories which sees them both progress to Finals Day alongside the Hunter Hurricanes;
- In the Women’s edition, there are wins for the Mullis & Peake Magic and the Burley Bandits, and those two sides will now meet in the Grand Final on the morning of the Benefit Match;

SEPTEMBER
- For the third time in six seasons the 3rd XI are crowned Premier Division champions. A comfortable win at Woodford Wells sees the team finish top of the table, holding off the challenge of 2022 winners Harlow;
- The 1st XI finish with a win and end the season in sixth place, while the 2nd XI claim a remarkable victory at Ilford to end the season in third place;
- There were also final day wins for the 5th and 6th XIs, but end of season losses for the 4th and 7th XIs;
- Ten players finished the season with centuries to their names. Beau Webster (x2), Ray Calder, Josh Lamont, Matthew Ingleson, Vicky Waters, Stephen Limn, Terry Wyatt, Stu Connor, Ryan Brown and James Burchell all brought up three figures during the course of the summer;
- It’s a memorable day for our junior section, with Upminster sides playing in three of the four Central District Cup Finals at Bentley. There were defeats for the U9s and U11s, but the U15s put in a stunning performance to beat Brentwood;
- The Hunter Hurricanes become the first side to retain the Windmill Whack title, as they see off the Elite Eagles at Upminster Park. The Eagles had earlier overcome the Govani Maestros in the Eliminator;
- There is cup heartbreak for the U10s who lose the Central District Cup Final to Brentwood by two wickets from the penultimate ball of the game;
- But a few days later the U12s end the junior season in style, seeing off Hutton by six wickets in the dusk at Upminster Park to claim the Central District Cup;
- That result meant our junior sides ended the season with two cup wins, eight league titles, three cup runners-up spots and one second place league finish!!
- In total during the season, our junior teams played 258 games (winning 147 of them), with more than 320 boys and girls playing and/or training at the club in 2023;
- On a sweltering September afternoon, the 23rd Benefit Match against Essex takes place at Upminster Park, with Essex winning a thrilling T20 contest by 33 runs in front of a bumper crowd;
- Earlier in the day the Mullis & Peake Magic had claimed the Windmill Whack Women’s Edition crown with a brilliant win over the Burley Bandit’s;
- Several other events also took place on the ground throughout the day, with all aspects of Upminster Cricket Club showcased in the end of season sun;
- Three Upminster members, Rob Mack, Andrew Berry and John French, are part of the Essex Over 50s side who defeat Middlesex to claim the County Championship crown;
- It’s last day of the season agony for the Women’s XI as they are squeezed out by Loughton to narrowly miss out on the Essex Division Two title. However, it is a remarkable effort from the team to finish in such a lofty position in their first season at this level;

OCTOBER
- Upminster Golf Club hosts the annual Cricket Club Golf Day, with the sun continuing to shine and make up for a wet summer!!
- The Annual Dinner and Dance takes place at the Stifford Hall Hotel with over 120 members and guests in attendance;
- During the event Ray Calder was named as winner of the Keith Martin Club Person of the Year award, to recognise his work with the club’s 6th XI and the huge amount of time and energy he has put in to assist with colts training and other activities at the club;
- Harry Bradford was named as winner of the Gwynne Mack Spirit of Cricket Award, while Jamie Green was named John Nash Colt of the Year;
- Ray Calder made it a double celebration as he was also named as winner of the President’s Batter of the Year, Nehal Butt claimed the Colin Hart Bowler of the Year award, Jamie Green was named as Fielder of the Year and the Men’s 3rd XI were winners of the John Dean Team of the Year award;
- Emma Thompson was announced as the first Women’s Player of the Year, while Izzy Gilbey was the maiden winner of the Girl’s Junior Player of the Year;
- Junior indoor training begins for the winter, with all age groups taking part in sessions at the Club Cricket Academy in Ockendon;
- Indoor league action begins for both our junior and senior sides, with the senior team taking part in the Riverside Indoor League and our junior sides competing in the Havering and Central Leagues;

NOVEMBER
- In the Riverside Indoor League, the senior side fall to the bottom of the Premier Division table after a difficult start to the season;
- In the Havering Junior Indoor League the race for honours continues with a number of Upminster sides challenging at the top of the table;
- Our junior sides also continue to do battle in the Central Junior Indoor League. The U10s, U11s and U12s all remain in contention near the top of the table;

DECEMBER
- The club’s committee host an open members forum at the pavilion, to review the 2023 season and begin to make plans for 2024;
- The club’s Annual Curry Lunch takes place at the Kushoom Bugh Tandoori Restaurant, with a record number of members and guests in attendance;
- During the lunch the senior sides’ playing awards for the season were announced. Pulkit Gupta (1st XI), Jordan Tolan (2nd XI), Alex Ward (3rd XI), Fenton Everingham (4th XI), Michael Larke (5th XI) and Thomas Brabin (6th XI) were all worthy winners;
- The senior indoor side pick up their first win of the season, at the sixth time of asking, and it’s worth the wait as they record a thrilling one run win over Broomhills;

The club were saddened to learn of the passing of a number of friends of the club and ex-members during 2023. We would like to pass on our best wishes at this time of the year to the family and friends of Judy D’Cruz, Sara Mack, Albert Moulder, Alan Ison Snr and Tom Kilby, as well as anyone else in the local cricket community who has lost friends and relatives in the past 12 months.